


Repeated Measures

by Abboh



Category: No Straight Roads (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, I like to think that she has like a really normal name, Kul Fyra is an emotional mess, Mayday is just a nickname, Mayday met Kul Fyra when she was younger, One Shot, Sharing, The Goolings, but wasn't digging it, im sorry bebe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:41:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26643178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abboh/pseuds/Abboh
Summary: The lights up auditions tended to be monotone for the NSR CEO herself, Tatiana.Each auditioner and group was just another citizen of her city, another face in the crowd, bound to be forgotten by the time the event had finished up.Though a new contestant was about to dig up some very old, forgotten memories with her pink, star stuck eyes and wild attitude.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 52





	Repeated Measures

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: what if Mayday met Kul Fyra when she was very young?

_**9/25/20** _

* * *

Auditions were never meant to be easy, either on the auditioners side or the judges but they had to atleast be entertaining.

Of course that's when the judges stepped in, the buzzers ringing out with their decision, accompanied by their bright saturated, corresponding colors.

Four Reds and Two Greens for this round.

With a sigh, and a slight adjustment to a pair of magenta shades, the lead judge closed the file she had been given for the auditioners and leaned passed it on to an attendant to her side. Slowly leaning into her arms to look down into the arena.

"While your performance was rather ... electrifying, it seems to my artists that you simply do not make the cut. Please, take this as a learning experience and try again next time"

Polite but the side eye she gave to her fellow judge, Eve, off to her left made it clear that, no, she did not find electro-jazz...electro swing...whatever they called it, to be NSR worthy.

The stone-grey woman barely gave them another glance as the group left the arena, comforting each other on failing the audition. Barely chatting to her artists as the lights were reset and the stage clearing up once more.

Sitting back up and fixing her shrug, she blindly extended her hand off to the side and grabbed the file the moment it touched her hand. Opening it up as she was informed of the next group coming up their way.

Opening the manila folder, she was greeted with the groups audition information and tape.

_Bunkbed Junction._

Interesting name..then again her own groups-...no, none of that.

Giving the arena a quick glance to make sure they hadn't arrived yet, she flipped the page to the contestants personal information.

_Zuke....drummer..looks a lot like that DK West fellow...lives in festival plaza..no address..?.._

_Mayday...Guitarist..Festival Plaza as well...-_

The profile photo caught her attention of the Guitarist. Mayday... pink eyes?...Of course, of all days for the past to rear it's face again.

She thought she'd never see those pink, flowered eyes again, then again, it had been years since she's seen such a trait.

* * *

_17 years ago..._

* * *

_'Perhaps bringing a four year old to a Hard Rock concert wasn't the best idea...'_

_Was becoming a mantra in a rockers fans head. The middle aged man was rushing across the foyer of Vinyl City's largest music arena, chasing after his energetic daughter._

_His daughter, Madison, or more lovingly known as Mayday, had just turned four earlier that day and as a birthday present, he managed to scrape enough together to buy exclusive backstage passes to The Goolings._

_While it had put a large dent in his savings, seeing his daughters face light up like it never had before,..it was something no amount of money could ever replicate. Even_ _with headphones to protect her still developing ears, she screamed her heart out with all the other fans when the Legendary Kul Fyra slid across the stage, tearing apart a riff to one of their heavy songs, and leaving behind a flaming trail._

_Just like any other fan, Mayday admired the flaming woman._

_Maybe a little too much as once the concert had ended and the duo left the main arena, Mayday immediately took off from her father's side to where she guessed was the "backstage"._

_Sure he almost got grabbed by security before flashing his pass but damn, even with short legs she could run fast._

_"Mayday!...Madison?!...oh boy, her mom's gonna kill me..."_

_..._

_Kul Fyra, Kul Fyra, Kul Fyra, Kul Fyra-.._

_Was a mantra that went on repeat in a child's head, chubby hands gripping the pass around her neck as she dodged legs and crates of equipment._

_Occasionally she would pause and look around, trying to find her way into the backstage. Maybe she should've waited for her dad- no! He was going to slow and she was going to miss her!..where was she, where-..._

_Huh?...what was that?.._

_..._

_Was that crying?_

_She silently hoped no one was watching the lion king cause, golly, that made her cry. Mayday paused again, looking around before finding a nearby door that was ajar. Now that she thought about it, that door had a bunch of loud noises behind it and she did see a few people leave just a second ago._

_They looked kinda familiar, maybe, she thought it was a little funny how they steamed, like they were just on fire or something..._

_Anyways, someone was crying in there._

_Well that just wouldn't do, this was a Goolings Concert! There should be screams of excitement not crying of...whatever kind of crying was going on inside._

_Maybe Kul Fyra could wait for a moment._

_Looking around to avoid any adults, and finding the area clear, she ran across the opening towards the door, slowing down a. Taking a second to just listen, and noting how the crying was slowly fading with just a few sniffles here and there._

_So far so good...letting go of the pass to let it drop, Mayday used both hands to push open the door. Scrunching her face up a little bit at the weight of it but gave a smile when glided open a little more. Not enough to get the attention of the person but enough for her to squeeze inside._

_It was insanely hot inside the room, making the young girl wish for something cold but her worries were set aside as her gaze landed on the rooms occupant._

_Mayday tilted her head a bit as she toddled deeper into the room. The occupant was the largest person she had ever seen before, skin grey and cracked, seeming to glow a deep red and if she squinted enough, she could see the wavy squiggles of heat._

_The woman was hunched over and supported her head in her hands, elbows resting ontop of the vanity table and seeming to melt it just a bit. The clothes...those were familar...tight ripped leather pants, a burnt tank top, gloves with metal pads...wait..._

_Those were_ _..._

_Was this Kul Fyra?_

_This puzzled the child and was tempted to leave the room. This couldn't of been her hero, the rocker that spouted flames and bled lava on stage_.

_but it could've been her..._

 _Taking a breath, straighting her back and closing her fists, Mayday fixed her denim punk jacket and approached the large woman. Ta_ _king a chance, she reached out and grabbed the leather buckle on the woman's boot, which she had to jump back as it took the woman by surprise, making her jerk her foot, nearly breaking the drawers just beside her_.

_Mayday stumbled back and fell on her behind as the woman stood up, voice loud and cursing as she put distance between her and the child but that didn't out off Mayday at all. If anything, she stood back up and grabbed her pass, holding it up as if it would shield her from the Woman in case she got mad._

_But the anger never came, if anything it just got hotter in the room. Not stifling so but enough to make the child pull at her collar, tempted to take off her punk jacket, though she didn't cause she looked cool in it._

_"What the..."_

_That brought her attention back to the woman, the clothes looked like what Kul Fyra had on stage..but her tone was different, as if she rolled around in rock sediment and her hair, if you could call it hair, wasn't a mass of flames. If any it looked like a cluster of great, cloudy gems with slivers of red here and there._

_"How did you get in here?'_

_Oh right. The blonde child held up her pass and gave it a shake, ignoring how the lanyard flailed around._

_"Kul Fyra!"_

_She responded, just watching the woman as she looked at her and then behind, taking note how the door was open, mouthing a small "oh" as it clicked._

_The tall woman just sighed and stood back for a moment, seeming to gather herself._

_"I didn't know they were allowing fans back here,..." And in a smaller voice "let alone even offered passes..."_

_Mayday didn't care about that, waving her pass around again, as if to bring attention to it. She wanted to see Kul Fyra! The woman wasn't crying anymore, the Lion King wasn't playing so, problem solved...stars above, it was getting hot but that didn't deter her, even as she wiped away the sweat on her forehead with her other hand. Inwardly glad that the jacket didn't have any sleeves._

_"oh!...uh.."_

 _Her attention went back to the woman as the taller seemed to notice her movement,_

_"sorry about that..I forget that others can't handle the heat like me.."_

_And just like that the temperature started to drop, well, it didn't cool down a whole lot but Mayday wasn't going to melt any time soon._

_"Kul Fyra, huh?"_

_The lady asked, taking a few steps closer to kneel down before her, her expression almost amused as she looked to Mayday, smiling a little wider as the child nodded, dropping her pass to hop in place._

_"Yeah! It's my birthday, and dad brought me to watch her!"_

_Well, the Goolings but all Mayday cared about was Fyra. Her reply made the woman smile, even shaking her head a bit._

_"Well, sorry I'm not..on fire, at the moment" the woman said, gesturing to her head where the_ _signature flames would be if she was "alit". "It takes a lot of energy and I got tired"_

 _Inwardly it was a bad excuse but Fyra didn't have to worry all that much as the child stopped hopping to nod_.

_"oh! Like when you run around the park for a while and you get all tired and have to sit on the bench for a snack?"._

_"Uh...yeah, like that. This room is...my picnic bench and I need a...snack..Do you want get one with me?"_

_She wasn't about to mention that it was way too late to really eat anything but having just performed, she was a little peckish... the enthusiasm that was radiating from the child was a little contagious and the smile she felt on her face seemed to stay on longer._

_Mayday gasped and nodded, jumping a little in place. "Yes yes!" Though she did pause and stop jumping for a second when she remembered her mother's advice. "Uh, yes please"_

_She may be a rocker but she was a polite rocker. Thank you very much._

_"Come on" Fyra started, clapping her hands as she stood up from her kneeling position, giving herself one good stretch before slouching over herself, hand extended down to Maydays level. Though it was clear the young girl would have to extend her arm all the way up to even grab a finger_.

_"we can get a snack together, there's a table nearby we can go too"_

_Was all she instructed before starting to lead the way, making her walk incredibly slow as not to drag Mayday with her. Luckily the girl had the energy to run along side her and make it a little easier, almost leading the duo out if the dressing room and back out into the open. Letting the pit crew pass on by and waiting for boxes of equipment to move, the two finally were on the way to the open area where the snack table was last seen._

_Of course, all the while Mayday began to prattle on and on about the concert, though mostly about Fyra and her personal performance._

_The not-at-the-moment, flaming rocker had heard those words time and time again, though this time around, the awe and wonder that could only come from children hit a little harder than anything else she heard before._

_Mayday barely paid attention to her clothes, wasnt intimidated by her size or stature and was even in awe that she was seeing Kul Fyra off stage and out of "costume". Something no one else has had the privilege too._

_In truth, if this wasn't a Goolings concert, Mayday would've never made the connection between the ashy grey woman to the magma beast that was Kul Fyra._

_Her own little secret._

_The Duo weaved in and out of the backstage traffic, managing not to get crushed by passing crates or people and before Mayday knew it she was beside a large table, where her head barely graced the top._

_It took a second for Fyra to realize this, having already grabbed a plate before looking down to her._

_"Uh ..lemme help you there..."_

_She said, most likely thinking aloud and before Mayday could protest, Fyra and picked her up and placed her on her hip. Leaning at an odd angle as so Mayday didn't tilt or fall out of her arms._

_She was being held by Kul Fyra, She was being held by Kul Fyra, She was being held by Kul Fyra, she was being held-_

_This was the best birthday ever._

_"Is this enough?"_

_Came a voice into her thoughts, blinking, the tan girl looked at the plate before her and the slightly confused face above it._

_It wasnt the best plating, then again, it was only snacks. Chips and fruits, cheeses and deli. Things you would normally find off to the side at parties....but it did have one of those sugar cookies so she couldn't complain too much._

_Nodding her head enthusiastically, Fyra returned it with a smile of her own and started towards an unattended crate. Just a bit out of the ways from the main traffic flow. Setting the plate down, Fyra took Mayday off her hip and settled her onto of the crate before hoisting herself up and crossed her legs, moving the toddler back onto her lap to cradle, even holding the plate for them both._

_And that's when they truly started to bond._

_Kul Fyra, as Mayday quickly learned, was just another person. Full of stories and excitement as she pointed out each person and piece of equipment that passed by. Each holding a funny or memorable time the Goolings had with it. No one else could have this moment with Fyra and Mayday was certainly not going to ruin it._

_They ate their shared plate, and even Mayday spilt her stories of home. About how her and her father were massive fans, while her mother kind of wasn't. About of she dreamed of being like her, rocking the stage with a crowd of adoring fans, making music for the sake of pure enjoyment._

_And yet, Kul Fyra couldn't help but look sad at that but said nothing. Even she wouldn't ruin a child's dream like that, even Mayday deserved a shot at the top._

_Especially now since that the Goolings era was coming to a close._

_No one knew yet and Fyra wasn't going to ruin the girls birthday with news like that._

_When the plate was empty and the two chattered and bantered, it was easy to pick up the call out that was slowly growing louder._

_"Mayday?!...Mayday where are you?!"_

_The girl perked up a little but quickly wilted, sure her dad was here but that meant that her time with Kul Fyra was fading away._

_"Huh? Who's calling for you?"_

_Fyras deep voice knocked her out of her head, making her blink as she looked up to the larger woman._

_"That's pops..." She started, flopping a bit on Fyra as she slouched._ _"but I don't wanna go home yet! I don't wanna!"_

_She was so close to throwing a tantrum, still in that age range where she could pull off such a stunt but for Fyra....yeah, she probably couldn't handle a screeching child, nor did she even want too._

_"Kid...it's probably best to go home. It's getting real late...and uh..even I gotta go to bed"_

_The rocker replied, cringing a little at her choice of response but it seemed to work in her favor as Mayday looked up to her._

_"You have a bed time?"_

_"Ehhh...yeah. even rockers like me need to sleep. I'm gonna go home after all this and sleep"_

_If anything, that made Mayday a little more okay with going home, if Kul Fyra had a bed time, then maybe she should...I mean, this was Kul Fyra the best person to ever exist and to have a bed time?...whoa..._

_"I ..well....okay..."_

_That made Fyra laugh a little, her large hand practically covering Maydays back as she patted it._

_"You'll thank me when you're older...how about this.."_

_She stopped talking to take her hand back, reaching behind her head to mess with the mass of tangles chains and jewels around her neck, seeming to dig through the clasps and chains blindly before seeming to find what she was looking for. Bringing her hands forward, a thin leather cord was pulled from the mass around her neck, a small angular charm hung at the bottom, along with a large black, guitar pick with an engraving._

_"I know I wasn't all..flaming but, I think this might make up for it.."_

_Fyra spoke, fixing the clasps closed before offering the large, charm necklace to Mayday, smiling as the girl took it with obvious bewilderment._

_It was the small moments like these did she love being who she was._

_The charm kind of looked like a key, it was like green and had an eye on both sides, painted teeth adorned the long edge and was a little cheesy. The guitar pick was obviously well worn, both from use and love. The engraving was shallow but held strong to it's "G" carving._

_Mayday looked up to her, not even seeming bothered as she was picked back up into the rockers arms as they hopped off the crate. Silent even as she was put back onto her feet, her father's voice a little closer but at the same time, oh so far away._

_Fyra smiled as she knelt down to her level once again, hands automatically taking the necklace to fit it to a bracelet. The extra leather just wrapped around her arm a multitude of times, charmed dangling with grace._

_"Happy birthday Mayday. And always Rock on, no matter what happens. Always play music"_

_Her tone was low and open, as if she saw something in Mayday that she didn't see herself. With a smile, she hugged the girl, humming a bit when the blonde hugged back._

_For once, in a very long time, she felt okay about the future of rock. With fans like Mayday, it was in good hands, her_ _time was coming to a close and soon, she knew that Mayday would take the stage._

_Mayday just nodded, lost in the realm of awe and starstruck, she did cling to the charms that dangles from her wrist. Managing a small. "Uh huh..." Before Fyra gently turned her around and nudged her to move in the direction of her father's voice. Not all too aware of what had just occured or what she was doing._

 _Kul Fyra remained kneeling, just watching as Mayday walked off in her stupor...Yeah_ _rock was in good hands.._

* * *

_The Goolings disbanded the following week._

* * *

_Present..._

_"ARE YOU READY?!"_

The sudden shout brought her back to the current moment, blinking, Tatiana subtly looked around. Her megastar artists didn't seem to notice that their boss had retreated deep into her memories.

Bunkbed Junction stood in the middle of the arenas stage, the main guitarist practically bouncing where she stood...well, it seemed not all that much had changed...

"Why hello you two..."

* * *

_**9/27/20** _

**Author's Note:**

> So this ended up being a lot longer than what I originally planned but once I got typing it just kept going on and on..I GOT SO MANY IDEAS AND I CANT FIT THEM ALL IN HERE.  
> DANG IT.  
> I'll do a grammar check tomorrow.  
> Enjoy y'all.


End file.
